THE STOLEN WHITE ELEPHANT Etc. by Mark Twain First Edition ©1872

THE STOLEN WHITE ELEPHANT etc. is a book of several short stories by Samuel Clemens under the pen name, Mark Twain. The central or introductory short story of the book is a satirical mystery that revolves around a rare white elephant, given as a royal gift from the King of Siam to the Queen of England, which mysteriously vanishes in the unlikely location of New Jersey. Despite the diligent efforts of the local police force, the case ultimately reaches a humorous but tragic conclusion.

This first edition copyrighted in 1872 by S.L Clemens and published by the James R. Osgood Company, is in good to fair condition. While the spine cover is largely missing and there is fraying and chipping to the corners, the pages remain tightly bound. The original owner's name can be found on the flyleaf, and there are remnants of adhesive from a card pocket on the backboard, indicating it may have been a library book copy. This edition was printed by University Press John Wilson and Son in Cambridge.